By: Audrey Raymonda John
Three accused persons, Prince Thomas alias Chair Shakur, Chrispina Omotunde Atkins, and Marion Conteh, have made another appearance before Justice Mark Ngaba at the High Court of Sierra Leone in connection with an alleged murder case.
The accused are facing a two-count indictment of conspiracy to commit murder and murder, contrary to Sections 4 and 1 of the Offences Against the Person Act of 1861, as amended and replaced by Section 1(a) of the Schedule to the Abolition of the Death Penalty Act, 2022 (Act No. 6 of 2022).
According to the indictment, the accused persons allegedly conspired with other persons unknown on 22 March 2025 in Freetown, Western Area, to commit murder. The prosecution further alleges that on the same date and at the same location, they murdered Momodu Bangura.
When the matter was called in court, the charges were read and explained to the accused persons; however, no plea was taken.
Led in evidence by State Prosecutor A.D. Kargbo, prosecution witness Joseph Sorie Bangura testified that he knew all three accused persons.
The witness told the court that on the morning of 22 March 2025, while returning from a prayer group meeting, he received a telephone call from a friend asking whether he had heard the news. Upon inquiring further, he was informed that two alleged thieves had been killed in his community.
He stated that he immediately went to the police station, where he met the Officer Commanding (OC) and the JPO Crime officer and informed them of the report. Together, they proceeded to the scene of the incident, where they encountered a large crowd.
According to the witness, they found two individuals tied to separate trees with binding wire. He said one person was still breathing, while the other appeared to be dead.
He further testified that the JPO Crime officer took photographs at the scene and that the surviving victim pointed toward a nearby house, alleging that the occupants of that house were responsible for tying them up.
During cross-examination, Joseph Sorie Bangura admitted that he had not been informed who killed the deceased and did not personally witness the alleged killing. He also stated that he could not determine the exact cause of death and confirmed that parts of his testimony were based solely on his observations at the scene. He further acknowledged that the community where the incident occurred is a large one.
The prosecution also called Joshua Bah, who testified that he recognized the accused persons.
Bah told the court that on 22 March 2025, while at the Jui Campus, he received a telephone call from Hassan Turay, who informed him that his brother had died. He said he later received another call from his aunt, urging him to return home immediately.
Upon his arrival, family members confirmed the death of his brother. He subsequently went to Connaught Hospital, where he viewed and identified the remains before informing other family members of the death.
The witness further stated that two days later, he formally reported the matter to the police at Akon Police Station.
Following the testimonies, State Counsel applied for an adjournment to enable the prosecution to call its next witness.
Counsel for the defence subsequently applied for bail on behalf of the accused persons, assuring the court that they would not interfere with prosecution witnesses and that reliable sureties were available to guarantee their attendance.
However, Justice Mark Ngaba refused the bail application and ordered that the accused persons remain in custody.
The matter was adjourned to 2 July 2026 for the continuation of the trial.